Hershey Christian Academy (HCA) will present its fifth annual Legacy of Light Celebration on Saturday, April 20, at the Hershey Free Church, 330 Hilltop Road, Hummelstown. A fundraiser for the school, the event will feature dinner, an auction, student performances and the announcement of the Legacy of Light Award. Doors will open at 5 p.m., and festivities will take place from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Those who attend the event will be able to view auction items in person, but bids will be accepted online at the auction website. Those unable to attend the event can still bid while at home. "When you come to the event, the advantage of being there is that everything can be viewed," explained Cindy Kern, school administrator. "We will have all the items right there, but everyone can bid online."

The auction will close at 8 p.m., and the winners will be announced live during the program.

Items available for bidding will include designer purses, class baskets, teacher experiences, gift baskets with gift cards, photography packages and a fire truck ride to school by the Hershey Fire Department. Local businesses that have donated items include Adventure Sports, Jacobs Service Company, the Get Air trampoline park, Cocoa Kayak Rentals, Pronio's Market, the Pride of the Susquehanna, Shady Maple Smorgasbord, Pleasant Pine Stables, Nook Sports, Sight & Sound Theatres, Klick Lewis Arena and Artistic Sports Academy Plus.

For dinner, guests will be able to make their own burrito bowl, with both beef and chicken options, and a variety of toppings, including fresh salsa and guacamole. An assortment of homemade desserts and coffee will also be served.

Following dinner and musical and dance performances by HCA students, the Legacy of Light Award will be presented. "It was started to recognize someone within our community that has given and supported Christian education as a way to say thank you," explained Renee Sattazahn, HCA marketing director, noting that recipients are nominated for the award. "It could be a teacher or someone invested in the school or even a community member who is highly invested in Christian education."

Last year, the winner was Wendy Moyer. Following the closure of the Lancaster Mennonite School's Hershey Campus, a group of parents and teachers created HCA, which opened in 2019. "She was one of the founders of HCA who was a part of Lancaster Mennonite Hershey campus," Sattazahn said. "When they closed the doors, Wendy rallied with a few teachers and others to reopen the school as HCA. And, within that summertime, they managed to get the school off the ground. By fall, they had the doors open in a matter of months."

"Wendy was vice chair of the steering committee, and we met in her home many nights a week up to the wee hours of the morning," Kern added.

Proceeds from the event will help the school underwrite efforts such as expanding its secondary education program, fine arts education, scholarships, community outreach and the capital campaign for the school campus.

"One of the special things about this year is that the theme is 'Five Years and Still Glowing' because it is our fifth year in operation," said Sattazahn. "The school started with very short notice and very limited resources, but a handful of parents and teachers felt God's call and they obeyed, even though it sounded impossible. In spite of all of the hurdles and obstacles they had to go through, here (we) are. We are growing; we have pre-K through 12th grade and last year we graduated our first senior."

She added that the name of the event is based on HCA students following the Lord's instructions in Ephesians 5:8, "Walk as children of light."

For more information about the event, to order tickets and to preview auction items, visit http://www.hersheychristianacademy.org and choose "Legacy of Light Celebration" on the homepage.

More information about HCA, which is located at 3003 Elizabethtown Road, Hershey, is available by calling 717-312-7595 or visiting the aforementioned website or http://www.facebook.com/hersheychristianacademy.